Chapter 07
After a long journey, the traveling band finally laid their eyes upon the Holy See and the glorious high gates of the Vatican. They were treated to a warm welcome by fellow knights and various clergy members and scholars. John was amazed to find out he was already well-known among the knights and some clergy. Sir Gabriel and Sir Raphael had spread an exaggerated tale of how a brave commoner stood alone against a barbarian horde who was going to rape every nun in the small town. Slowly, the tale twisted to the point that John fought alongside the paladins and killed many.
John's ears burned. He was not used to this fame, especially as he felt it was unearned. The wine shared put him at ease, and they ate merrily. Later, John and Viola were led to their new living quarters. As esteemed guests, they stayed inside the inner high walls of the Vatican. Two separate rooms adjacent to each other small but cozy. Nicer than anything either of them had ever experienced.
The Pope had abruptly left the day before their arrival. He was to coronate the new King of the Holy Empire after visiting nobles and lords from the Kingdom. Many of the people there let John know just how displeased they were with the new King. According to many, the late King Wenzel had been like a Greek god compared to his son, who was likened to a drunken satyr, only focused on frivolous pursuits.
The large wall in one of the main halls had a massive royal court painting of King Wenzel and his first wife, Queen Helen. She was the most beautiful woman John had ever seen. She had a slight resemblance to Mother Sharon, and even Viola agreed. Except, instead of long black hair like Sharon, she had wavy, layered golden hair. John didn't know why such a deep pang ran through him as he lamented he would never get a chance to meet her.
John quickly fell into a routine as the Pope would be gone for at least a month. Under the orders of Sir Micheal, the most senior ranking paladin, he would wake early and train with the group of squires Sir Raphael was training. Even without formal training, John had been raised similarly to how pages trained: basic horse riding, physical fitness, and primary sword usage. Although older than most squires, John quickly realized his gaps in armor handling, advanced weaponry, and the strenuous cardio and calisthenics all the young squires were used to.
Even with their budding friendship, Sir Raphael did not take it easy on John. Although he struggled, John was determined not to give up. He knew he must get stronger so he would never feel so helpless as he did that fateful night of the attack. John felt frustrated with his lack of progress, but before long, Sir Micheal commended him for showing dedication in the face of adversity. Although he stayed busy, John couldn't help but think about and reminisce about his time with Sharon.
After lunch, he would ride to Sapienza University, the most prestigious university in the entire empire. Under the Pope's orders, the famous senior professor Leto took him under his wing. Professor Leto was impressed by John's knowledge and completion of Trivium (basic education) and his ongoing study of Quadrivium (maths and astronomy.) They excitedly discussed the newly rediscovered works of antiquity as well as contemporary scholarship.
John was surprised that some of the most accomplished science professors were Arabic and Hebrew. Professor Leto laughed when John pointed this out, "Yes, while at large the big three religions tend to fight quite violently, science and enlightenment detest violence and senseless wars."
Professor Leto allowed him to attend history and literature seminars, and although John had yet to read as much as the other students, he still raptly paid attention and took notes. Professor Leo also insisted adamantly that John attend every course covering the histories of the Holy Empire. He would constantly quiz him on the Kings and their lineages.
John didn't care too much for old names, but he felt he should learn this based on Leto's emphasis on this knowledge. He learned many names and dates all the way to the current King. He spent hours talking about the meditations of Marcus Aurelius. They also discussed the kings of the bible and their reign, their downfall, and the lust of King David.
After classes, he would spend hours and hours in the university library. John quickly became enraptured by the ancient writings and histories.
Although he would return late from university, Viola always waited for him to eat dinner with him. He was filled with stories about his day, and she listened attentively. Even though she wished he would spend more time with her, she had become busy learning from the women who ran everything in the Vatican. She established a relationship with a prestigious mystic who told her that she and John were destined for greatness. She allowed Viola to shadow her as she went about cooking, brewing, healing, and divining.
They would retire very late in the evening to their rooms. The first few nights, they didn't dare go to each other's rooms, thinking about how sinful their lust contrasted with how holy this place was. Slowly but surely, as their desire grew, so did their audacity. They were almost sure someone would reprimand them, but they were pleasantly surprised that no one seemed to pay close attention to them in the evening. In fact, lady servants would tease Viola about John. Finally, when they decide to risk it, Viola is caught by a nun slipping into John's room. Instead of saying anything, the nun winked and gave her a knowing smile.
That night was the night before the Pope returned, and they decided to go ahead and spend the night with each other. John slowly undid her night dress, drinking in her sight.
Her glorious red hair was laid out around her. Her milky body was flushed with a faint pink. He began to slowly kiss every inch of her. His arousal led him to her center. He slowly kissed her thighs.
He flattened his tongue out when he reached her fiery red patch and breathed heavily. He carefully put pressure around her vagina. He gathered his spit and slathered it liberally. His thighs clenched as his tongue explored deeper onward. His chin pushed down on her base. Her soft moans slowly became more intense. Her thighs clamped down, and she ran her hands through his hair down his neck and shoulders.
As he slipped in a finger, he could feel her pussy contracting. After a while, a gush of juice splashed his hands on his face. He continued to eat undisturbed by her flooding. The taste turned him on. His cock became engorged.
They lay in each other's embrace and held themselves when they were done. They considered just how lucky they were to be together and in a place that provided much learning and exposure to new ideas and other perspectives. He asked her again about Sharon. Again, she evaded him and, while he could pursue, decided not to press it.
The following morning, the Vatican was abuzz with movement, getting everything just right for him. They heard that the Pope was quite upset. King Charlemagne did not show up to his own coronation. The Pope was outraged and left in a fury, but not before letting his court receive an earful and explain that a divine response was awaited. After morning mass, the two were led to meet with the Pope. They waited in his waiting room for quite some time. Occasionally, they could hear muffled voices that sounded far but seemed to be discussing and arguing things at length.
"John," the secretary said, "the Pope would like to see you first."
John entered. Whoever had been there meeting with him must've left through doors he could not find. The office was large and spacious, and two wooden chairs were in front of the large desk. John swiftly used the proper salutations and paid his respects. He bowed low and only got up once the Pope mentioned and told him to have a seat. The Pope began with a small talk about how he was doing and how the trip went. The night of the attack. Looking at his scars, the Pope murmured to himself, "like stigmata." And later, "marked for greatness."
He asked John in detail about the attack. "So brave and so humble. Do you know the paladins have spread your story of how brave you are as a lion? They call you John the brave." John had heard this name; he didn't think anything of it and, in fact, felt it wasn't true. The Pope's demeanor changed.
"Do you believe in God?" John couldn't believe the question by the Pope, but looking at his face, he was deathly serious.
"I've been raised in His name, Your Holiness."
"That's not what I've asked? Do you believe in God, boy?"
"Yes, Your Holiness."
"Do you believe He makes mistakes?"
"No, Your Holiness."
